Lotus Exige Sport 380 spawns dedicated track model

Lotus Exige Sport 380 spawns dedicated track model

The Lotus Exige is no longer offered here as a road car but you can still purchase versions designed for track. The latest in a long line of Exige-based track cars is the Exige Race 380.

As the name suggests, the car is based on the Exige Sport 380 road car unveiled in November. Lotus hasn’t confirmed the car’s availability in the United States just yet, but we hope it makes it over as it would make one heck of a track toy.

Power comes from the familiar Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V-6, which has been supercharged to the tune of 375 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque. The mid-mounted engine is mated to a 6-speed sequential transmission and drive is to the rear wheels only, via a limited-slip differential.

Lotus claims 0-60 mph acceleration of just 3.2 seconds. The company says the car is even quicker than the Exige Cup R unveiled in 2013.

The key to its performance is a combination of lightweight construction and impressive downforce. Lotus quotes a dry weight of 2,200 pounds and almost 530 lb of downforce at speeds of 170 mph.

Weight-saving mods included replacing some of the body parts with lighter carbon fiber pieces and the rear window, which is normally glass, is polycarbonate here. Other savings come from carbon fiber seats, a lithium-ion battery, and forged wheels.

To help generate the extra downforce, vents have been incorporated into the front bodywork and rear bumper to reduce pressure around the wheels; and a grille mounted at the rear aids air circulation through the engine bay. A new front splitter reduces pressure beneath the car, while the rear diffuser and massive rear wing helps modify airflow up back.

The starting price of the Exige Race 380 is £99,500 (approximately $121,287) and deliveries are due to commence in May. As mentioned, the car’s availability in the U.S. is yet to be confirmed.